Shark of the Sea
by Maddie Leo
Summary: Eddward Vincent, true to his title one of the most stone cold, brutal pirates in all the seven seas. He's stolen, murdered, and even pillaged; but will he seal a young redhead's fate, or is the shark of the sea losing his edge? Either way, there's blood in the water, and the journey's only just begun. Rev!Kevedd / Kevedd Pirate!Au Rated M for language and later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"And what about this requires my presence?"

Captain Eddward Vincent stood ominously, clearly unamused, in the dungeon like area under the deck where a recently obtained prisoner was chained; in the dimly lit room said prisoner laid on the floor motionless. From the ground he could see a pair of black boots that stood facing him, as well as the two crew members that had been watching him, who were now standing tall, at attention.

"Captain, he hasn't said a word the whole week we've had him down here, even with the uh, encouragement. Won't eat either" explained a diminutive crew member. He seemed nervous in front of his captain, but not afraid.

"It's almost like he doesn't mind gettin' his ass beat" A tomboyish woman with short, shagged, blue hair placed her toothpick back in her mouth and shrugged nonchalantly, sending Eddward a look of defeat. She wore a cropped black tank top and loose fitting evergreen breeches paired with black leather boots, and was never seen without a toothpick in her mouth just the male was never seen without the earplugs that hung from his pocket.

"We gave it our best shot so he's all yours D."

The woman patted Eddward's back and as she and her comrade ascended the steps leading up to the deck, Edd took a step closer to the curled up body on the floor, whose hands were tied and tired eyes looked down, not daring to meet the Captain's. The boy had laid there for days, knowing his eventual fate and inviting death to take him before it became his reality. The captain swiftly grabbed ahold of his prisoner's hair, knelt down, and brought the frailer male up to his eye level forcefully. The prisoner winced in pain, shutting his eyes tightly to continue avoiding Edd's glare.

"Now, little redhead, I'm sure even you can understand that I can't sell a corpse, correct?" Eddward asked as he jerked the boy once more, his pale freckled face twisted in pain. Well, of course, he _could_ but not for nearly as much. "You may maintain this petty silence as a meaningless act of rebellion, but **_you. will. eat_** **.** "

The sharp words pierced through the captive's last line of defense, this man was ten times as terrifying as any crew member the boy had encountered so far, granted he'd only met two. Yet somehow, without bruising him, the captain's presence alone was nearly enough to make the redhead comply.

"That red hair makes you quite the catch as they say, I'll get a substantial amount for you on the market." The boy's eyes began to sting and he felt his chest tighten at the mention of his fate. "However, if you misbehave, I have no quarrel removing extremities, starting with the fingers perhaps?" If the young man was pale before, he seemed almost transparent now. Petrified, he shook, and the water in his eyes he'd been trying so desperately to hold fell down his cheeks as he looked up in shock at the prospect of torture. "Now, Kevin, is it?" Edd reached into a pocket on his coat and pulled out a small roll of stale bread

"Eat."

Almost immediately, and full of fear, Kevin answered

"M-my hands"

"I'm afraid that's a privilege you've yet to earn. Your mouth alone will suffice."

In that moment, Kevin knew that he would no longer refuse any orders given by this demented man. His resolve to die had vanished, and had been replaced by an unwavering fear of what Eddward Vincent would do to him if he tried to starve himself again.

As Eddward threw the roll to the floor, releasing Kevin's hair which sent him to the floor as well, the prisoner just stared at it, wanting to maintain his pride but too cowardly to rebel he could only look at the bread, wishing he had the strength to refuse it. "Go on" Edd prompted sharply, threateningly. Kevin looked up at Edd with the most pitiful expression he'd ever made. Watery eyes, wet cheeks, and a trembling lip as if begging for mercy. He'd be dammed if he didn't try one last attempt at maintaining his strike. Unfortunately Kevin's attempt was to no avail, Edd's eyes returned the glance, but with a strong, unwavering and expecting glare.

He was no longer angry, but he knew he had won and planned to watch his prey cave beneath him. The job wasn't done until then. Humiliated, Kevin dipped his head to the floor as he began to eat. Edd smirked and watched him, reaping the reward of his domination, and once Kevin finished, he left the smaller male alone in the darkness to wallow in the shame he was sure to feel for being so quick to break.

Up above, hushed voiced discussed the situation.

"I know D is ruthless, but trafficking? That's a little much, he knows how fucked up it is for the unlucky ones who get sold into it, is he really gonna do this?" Said the shorter crew member, cleaning out a rifle.

He was a strange looking fellow; three cowlicks stood out from the short black mess on top of his head, his hands veiled by gunpowder, masking the tattoos on his knuckles and part of the sleeve on his right arm.

"Eddy, our captain's not a bad guy, it's shitty but you know as well as I do times have been tough lately, we're not gettin paid as much and this cutie will fetch a great bargain. I trust Edd, no prey no pay." Responded the blue haired woman.

"He's doing what he has to to avoid mutiny from us." A tall, scrawny male with olive skin and deep mahogany hair continued to scribble on a large poster scroll without bothering to look up.

"Rave, shut it, you know that'd never happen." The woman's eyebrows furrowed "none of us would…"

"None of _us_ , yes, but we aren't everyone, Marie, you know as well as I do that we aren't the only ones waiting to get paid. No one's starving yet but our daily bread is moldy, the boards are falling apart here and there and some of us are sick. No matter how you look at it it's not ideal."

The man spoke in such a candid tone, and Marie couldn't help but admit that he was right. They looted and hunted what they could from a variety of sources, usually without consequences, but pirates didn't exactly just stumble upon big red X's in the sand, or a boat of wealthy, corrupt aristocrats overflowing with gold every week. After a bit of silence doting on the grim topic, Eddy decided it was time to change the subject.

"Mappin the skies are we Rave?"

"If you must know, I'm trying to calculate when we'll arrive so we can drop off this poor soul"

"PLEASE tell me we'll be there soon" a turquoise haired fellow with a cheeky face and an average build hung his head over the side of the ship, neck chief spotted with remnants of upchuck. His name was Natt, new to the crew, and yet to adjust to life on the ever rocking sea.

"I'm afraid we have about a month and a half to go before we get rid of our special cargo, there are quite a few stops to make before the trafficking markets location. He's headed, in the end, to a high class market, mostly because of his uncommon looks." Rave remarked.

"Damn that red hair" Natt's face seemed to blend in a way that took on a hue of pale green as he fell victim once more to the waves

"That pumpkin is gonna pay for my bullets and your bread" the tattooed man now had powder and gunk covering "EDDY" inscribed across the first knuckles of his right hand, and various skulls, designs and other collections of ink that covered his forearms, now coated with black. "Maybe s'more rum too" he chuckled.

"How does it not surprise me that out of all the victuals one could acquire from pirating across the seven seas, enough to feed a plethora of fleets, my incompetent crew insists on spending some rations on rum?" Edd arose, jokingly, from the ships lowest level, where he'd left Kevin in their dungeon of sorts.

"Aww c'mon D, you know we haven't had that shit in months, no trouble in wishin." Marie smirked, walking over to her captain.

"So did you get him to eat?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact he was easy enough to convince." Eddward looked down. "He shouldn't give you any more of a fuss, and he does, he'll answer to me."

"Edd…" began Marie quietly so only the two could hear, touching Edd's shoulder "thanks. I know it's-"

"It's a step in the right direction, soon enough we'll be rid of him." Edd cut her off, looking back up at the few members of his crew, a bit of his family, and flashing a smirk

"Well if there's anything the shark of the sea can't do, I'll throw my prized pistol into the Atlantic" Eddy proclaimed, and proceeding that pulled out his "baby" and apologized to the contraption.

"I'll be in my quarters"

Edd bid his crew goodnight and went off to his room, the biggest single room on the ship but still minimal in space, with his bed, desk, bookshelf, dresser, and bathroom. Marked maps, paintings, and other documents littered the walls. A record player and a box of music sat in the corner, untouched but well preserved. Thanks to his own genius engineering, pluming for waste leaving the ship wasn't a problem, and buckets, primitive as they were, were used for prisoners, which occupied the ship.

Edd sat down at his desk, removing his headwear, and picked up a book he hadn't yet gotten around to reading. As evening became night, Edd's mind wouldn't rest thinking about the red haired boy all alone at the bottom of the ship. He felt so much pity for him, Edd really did. Scaring the poor thing like that, probably terrified in the dark, so small and pale… but eating, and alive, Edd reminded himself.

"It was the only way."

He thought, and thought again, until he came to terms with yet another weight on his shoulders, or so it felt. Another fucked up thing he'd done, another person he'd hurt, probably beyond repair in the end. He knew that, but Marie… his crew… Edd opened his desk drawer and swallowed a pill from the pile of those that helped him sleep, acquired from a doctor in a fishing town long ago. Along with fishing wisdom he'd collected them as an aid for sleep, they had a slight numbing affect it seemed on his discontent. He'd have to do much worse, he knew that.

He pictured the fragile male tied up there again, but with another tablet, chose to not care about him anymore and get some sleep, to replace pity with the coldness he was known for. He'd earned his title, the redhead wouldn't get any mercy, no matter how pitiful he was… "Nothing changes with this one" Edd thought to himself as he disrobed and dozed off for the night, reconfirming his resolution to save his crew, to keep them together, at the expense of one unlucky redhead.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Kevin always knew he wouldn't live a luxurious, or maybe even comfortable life, but he hadn't expected, of all things, this. They were pirates, dangerous criminals who traveled the sea doing unfathomable misdeeds. He'd been instructed by his boss to deliver a sack to a fairly large ship docked near the market in his town on the coast, and as one thing led to another here he was. He analyzed his mistakes carefully: "I shouldn't have boarded the ship" he thought, "I shouldn't have come alone, I shouldn't have come unarmed, I shouldn't have…" regret swelled in the boy's stomach like a pit, and in this moment became his core and threatened to consume him.

This was the fate of a poor but scholarly, freckly, naive boy, but Kevin couldn't come to accept that, no matter how sure the captain appeared to be. Kevin remembered the menacing figure with eyes of ice that had loomed above him just the day before and wondered now, as he rose his head from the floor where he slept, if he had the will to continue to hope to be a free man, and perhaps a bit cowardly, in the absence of captain Vincent, internally declared that he did. The cellar door creaked open, and down descended a figure new to Kevin entirely.

"Hey dude"

Said the girl, the first welcoming voice, and the first kindly words Kevin had heard in over a week. For this reason alone, Kevin lifted his head to see a thin blonde girl that came baring a bowl of dry meat and bread. He didn't speak, opting to observe her as she smiled, clearly expectant of an answer. The girl was small; she clearly wasn't aboard for heavy work or to beat any prisoners into submission. She wore a white tank top over a black sort sleeve shirt, along with short trousers cut for a woman's figure, one might say she also wore slim tanned legs that glistened in the light from above; Kevin thought her to be angelic in a way. Her golden hair fell short off her shoulders in a bob that framed her face with ends curling in towards her painted red lips.

As she approached further, she spoke. "Are you alright?" she asked, seeming genuinely concerned for Kevin's wellbeing

"I brought you come chow, you're probably pretty hungry right?"

She grinned again, relaxed and vivacious through and through, Kevin didn't feel right ignoring her. She didn't register in his mind as a person who had taken him from his home or stolen his future; she seemed much too sweet for that.

He responded "h-hey, thanks" as she set the tray of hardtack and chopped fish in front of him, gently, much like a mother would.

"I'm Nazz"

She spoke. Strangely, Kevin, putting a name to the girl's face, didn't see her as a threat at all, regardless of the fact that she was a crew member to a legendary criminal, and on his main ship too. She was Nazz now, and Nazz was cheery and warm and giving him food and… _is that a knife_? Kevin's eyes darted to the girl's belt loop where her hand grasped the handle of a dagger. Bracing himself as she unsheathed the weapon, ready to put up a fight as the toughest human worm he could be, he heard her speak.

"You probably need your hands to eat"

She concluded as she walked around Kevin and swiftly cut his hands loose from their ties. Dumbfounded, Kevin sighed in relief at both the rejuvenation of sensation in his arms as well as the fact that he wasn't bleeding. The boy relaxed and felt the rope burns on his wrists.

"I'm Kevin… thanks again"

"It's cool man, I mean we did sort of kidnap you. Just don't tell the captain about me untying you though, I'm more or less new here and he's totally on my ass all the time"

Nazz chuckled in her light, girly way and sat with Kevin while he ate.

"He's the last guy I'd want keeping an eye on me" Kevin huffed

"Right?! I'm so unlucky. Not as unlucky as you though, I've got some freedom"

Kevin was taken aback by her candid, casual remark. He hadn't been thinking of his entrapment since she'd come, but it hit him like a ton of bricks that this girl wasn't his friend, she was his supervisor for now, she worked for the shark.

Sensing the tension in his silence, Nazz regretted mentioning the idea of freedom. Of course it bothered the poor soul.

"Sorry dude… bad joke?"

"W-what's exactly gonna happen to me?"

Kevin felt panic rising within him.

"Look: I can't say that you're gonna be happy, but…" Kevin cocked an eyebrow at the girl

"Yeah, tell me something I don't know"

"You're gonna be alright" Nazz forced a pitiful smile.

Kevin wasn't in the slightest soothed by her words, but Nazz was earnestly trying to console him, so he nodded. She seemed nice enough, especially for a pirate, to be a companion if he was to be locked up for god knows how long.

"So Nazz-"he began, but was cut off by an impatient call

"Nazz, I trust there's no trouble"

Nazz froze.

"Of course not sir!" She fumbled to tie Kevin back up, as footsteps neared, barely securing the knot in time for Eddward Vincent to appear. As he approached, moving in on Nazz, Kevin got an adequate look at the captain for the first time.

He was surprisingly small for someone with such a high rank, Kevin hadn't realized before, but the pirate wasn't the textbook example of a crime boss in any way: no big muscles, no visible scars; he wasn't dirty or gruff by any means either.

He stood tall, certainly taller than Kevin would, and seemed muscular in stature. The boy was also surprisingly pale for someone that spent most of his time on the open sea. Even in the darkness of the cellar, Eddward practically glowed; he was pale and plain, and unquestionably powerful. He donned leathery black pants, fitting to his frame, tall black boots, and a crimson undershirt overlaid by an open black tailcoat. Most notable was the midnight fabric that encompassed the captain's head: a long, black, silky cloth wrapped tightly that revealed no skull or hair served as a cap as its tail fell in an admittedly elegant fashion at the nape of the captain's neck. He loomed over a very nervous Nazz.

"Nazz, very good, why don't you go assist Marie, or maybe I should send you underneath the ship to scrub off the barnacles for untying him without permission?" He spoke sternly, and while he had asked a question, it came off as no less than a command.

"Y-yes sir!" Nazz jumped and rushed up the spiraled steps to the deck. The shark began to leave Kevin's chamber, but anger swelled within the redhead as Eddward coolly walked away.

"Prick" He spat in defense of the kind blonde.

Icy blue eyes once again met emerald green, and once again they triumphed as Eddward spun instantly toward his prisoner with a scowl.

 _'Good going Kev, stick up for someone you barely know and die for it"_ He thought, immediately regretting his bold act as the larger male approached with purpose to the spot Kevin lay.

"What was that, petite citrouille?"

Kevin could do no more than grit his teeth and avoid the shark's gaze as he struggled between rage and terror, paralyzed again. He decided that laying still was the smart decision, and watched the shark leave the room satisfied. Still, there was a sense of shame within him for not fighting back. Not just for Nazz, who he had no real reason or ability to protect, but for himself.

"Concerning you" the sharks presence surfaced again as he stopped just before he was out of sight "no one on my ship eats for free, prisoner or otherwise. On your feet, that sloppy knot should be easy enough to get out of."

With some struggle, Kevin found Eddward was right, as the rope collected on the floor and he got to work on the ties at his feet, standing, but barely, once free. He became fully aware of the rocking of the ship against the waves as he wobbled to follow the captain up to the deck.

"You'll be assisting Ed in the kitchen today, I believe he could use a hand."

Kevin had no response for the man, or a choice, he realized. He'd always heard stories of this man, the fabled pirate, the master of tides and brother of sharks, every title had instilled fear in saloons and shops alike; when the name "Eddward Vincent" was dropped, no one asked questions. It was the kind of name that no one dared pursue, not even the law most of the time, impressive for a guy only 17, about Kevin's age. Even without ties, Kevin didn't stand half a chance in any kind of fight either.

Reaching the deck, Kevin winced at the blazing sunlight he hadn't seen this plainly in over a week, taking in the smell of salt and feeling the wind strike his skin, he felt renewed. The deck itself was huge, with crew members mopping and polishing, some conversed with one another and glanced his way, pointing. That much Kevin was used to, he'd never been popular back home (or at least the right kind of popular).

"Come along now" the captain ordered casually.

Kevin followed the male, tense and on his guard. "What if I don't want anything to do with your crew and I would prefer to rot in that cell?"

"Perhaps you require an honorary tour of my ship. See this?" Edd led Kevin, a firm hand on the boy's back, to a plank jutting out from the sip's deck by a couple of meters.

"What-"Kevin was cut off

"Johnny, introduce our new, temporary crew mate to Plank here"

A tan bald headed boy with bulging eyes surfaced from a huddle of members.

"Hiya, this here is Plank! He handles the scallywags, he does!" The boy seemed enthused at this hunk of wood with an asymmetrical smiling face carved into the tip.

"Well?" said Johnny, expectantly.

"I-I'm not sure-" Kevin stood confused and a bit intimidated by the loon

"Plank said hello! Why doncha go greet him!"

Suddenly, Kevin was being shoved out onto the board, the path back blocked by Johnny, grinning widely. Edd stood observing, a subtle smirk. Kevin did his best to keep upright on the narrow thing, but with one look down his heart was sent into utter frenzy. The vicious sea crashed and churned below him, as if waiting for a sacrifice. Unable to move back and certainly reluctant to go forward, Kevin dropped to his behind and clutched the sides of the wood, not minding the splinters he accumulated in that moment. His eyes watering out of panic and dread, Kevin found himself looking at Eddward with wide, begging green orbs.

"I'm afraid Kevin has duties to attend to in the kitchen with Ed"

Eddward strode out on the slab with more grace than what should be possible and carried the redhead, bridal style and all, back onto the deck, swiftly dropping the boy onto the hard floor and wiping his hands with a handkerchief.

"Isn't that right _citrouille_?

The group Johnny had come from were chuckling to themselves

"Careful there princess!" one of them called "wouldn't want to be shark food!"

Humiliated and beet red in the face, Kevin wiped his eyes and got up, hurrying after the captain to escape the taunts of the bullies.

"This way is the kitchen" Eddward led him to a room well below the deck. Kevin knew he'd be lost in the labyrinth that lay beneath the deck without a guide, it was truly a monumental vessel. He obediently followed Eddward until they came to a large set of double doors.

The captain swiftly grabbed Kevin's wrists, pinning the smaller boy to the wall and evoking a yelp from the already trembling prisoner. Eddward's cyan eyes studied the freckled skin of the redhead, and as they're eyes met, Kevin felt resistance leave him.

"It would be wise not to question me in the future, pumpkin."

Eddward's face closed in on Kevin's, and the smaller male shut his eyes harshly, backing into the wall and nodding pathetically, afraid once more.

"One moment, you'll be of no help to anyone with hands like that."

Eddward retreated into a room nearby, assumingly a bathroom, and emerged with a pair of tweezers. He tossed them to Kevin, who made an honest attempt to rid himself of the splinters, but just couldn't get his hand steady.

"Useless" the captain sighed, quickly dislodging the slivers of wood from Kevin's hands, nagging the boy to keep still. How could he though? This guy almost let him fall into an unforgiving ocean to certain death just to make a point! Eddward was a cocky, cruel, and ruthless bastard, concluded Kevin.

After skillfully removing some splinters, the shark pushed open the large doors to the kitchen, and was greeted immediately with a resounding voice

"Double D!" A lumbering boy rushed over to the captain, sweeping him up in a bear hug with total ease. Kevin was officially dumbfounded for the second time within the hour.


	3. Chapter 3

The boy, practically a giant, spun Eddward in his arms.

"You came to see me Double D!"

Completely jovial, who Kevin understood to be Ed noticed the bewildered teen in the entrance, peeking in on this display.

"Who is the little carrot double D?"

Little in this case was right. Ed was by no means just lanky, but a towering, filled out strongman looking fellow dressed in chef garments. Kevin could have sworn he caught a glimpse of the shark smiling somewhat genuinely as the guy effortlessly set his captain back onto the ground.

"Ahem." Edward's composure and coolness were reestablished now, glancing down at his prisoner.

"Well, Ed, this is Kevin. Currently he resides on our vessel as a captive of sorts, and of course, is very eager to earn his keep."

Eddward smirked down at the redhead, who was a bit red in the face with frustration.

'You nab me and I have to earn my keep? I didn't ask to be here in the first place' he thought. Work, however, might be better than facing the boredom and darkness he'd come to know.

Ed gave Kevin a knowing look for a moment, and smiled.

"Carrot boy will peel Rolf's share of potatoes!"

Another muscular figure had made his presence known, as tears streamed down his otherwise stoic face.

"Rolf must battle the onion platoon until his eyes are no longer cursed with the shameful salty liquid of defeat!"

Cried the boy. His completion was exotic and tan, his shaggy hair a dark royal blue, a beastly looking guy, concluded Kevin, with blue body hair even.

A mountain of potatoes was revealed before Kevin, along with a small, somewhat rusted contraption that would act as his peeler.

"I'll leave you to it, pumpkin." The captain strutted out of the room and took his suave tone with him.

With Edd gone, Kevin actually found himself enjoying the company. Kevin saw the chefs the same way he saw Nazz, he wasn't _their_ prisoner. He was the Shark's.

"Double D is not a mutant scab laborer, do not be afraid!"

Assured Ed cheerfully. Kevin wasn't sure what he meant, not completely anyway, but never the less he smiled empathetically and nodded, trying to come across like he did.

Rolf, noting this, attempted to translate for his partner as if he'd done it a million times before:

"Captain Edd boy is like bull with no balls, yes? Horns, yes, but a beast? No." Rolf expressed dogmatically, and oddly sincere.

Kevin got the gist of what the two were saying, but the words were ultimately lost on him, as he didn't believe any of it.

His head down now, Kevin just nodded, and took comfort in the mundane task that was peeling away at vegetables, even occasionally taste testing stew for his new friends. With the concept of starving himself out completely faded, he realized he was pretty hungry.

'Wait – _friends_?'

His mind fixated on what seemed a passive thought. He didn't particularly resent either of the men, but they answered to a kidnapping, human trafficking, piece of shit pirate! They were really just following orders from that monster. They were nice to him though, they didn't have to be, so did it even matter if–

Kevin's thoughts were cut short by a long hand wrapped around his wrist. This occurrence caused him to look down at said wrist, and his hands, in one of which was a small, off white nugget, carved from a potato - so small it could balance effortlessly on two fingers without so much as hanging over an edge.

Kevin, in the silence, realized not only that he'd gotten carried away and wasted food, but more importantly, that _he'd messed up,_ and that Edd's crew men had seen him.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't realize, really, I –"

Ed looked down at him with a stern face, and opened his mouth to speak. Kevin felt the larger boy's size now more than before, and concluded he could make stew out of him just as well as any animal.

To his immediate surprise though, Ed chuckled, and with inhuman strength lifted Kevin up by the very wrist he held.

"The carrot is not sliced Rolf! Our veggie friend is safe!"

"Good work, Ed boy!"

Rolf smiled at the savior of Kevin's hand, who beamed right back.

"um… thank you, Ed, you might have just saved me from contracting tetanus from that peeler"

Kevin felt a little guilty for being so fearful

"the carrot boy has the hands of a fresh kid out of the womb, it would have been bad"

Kevin furrowed his brows as he laughed along, feeling slightly offended from the jab at his masculinity – not that Rolf was wrong.

Ed finally remembered to put the boy down, and wrapping him in a bruising bear hug

"you are not a potato! you only peel potatoes!"

"Oh… yes, thank you, sir."

Kevin was becoming assured the kind oaf meant no harm

"My name is Ed."

Ed reminded the boy, patiently and with an understanding tone, just like a parent would, placing a hand on his shoulder

"don't worry you'll remember next time!"

Once again Kevin couldn't find a glimpse of sarcasm in his words.

'is he impaired?'

Kevin began to think, completely positive the other meant no harm, and never would, or could, for that matter.

"Right… my bad, Ed."

This seemed to please Ed, and in turn, Rolf, who shot Kevin a nod and a slight smirk of approval.

It was hours later that the group had finished. Rolf proceeded to serve each of them, remarking to a hesitant Kevin that those who prepare the meal eat first. If it was etiquette, he should oblige, he figured. The food, for the number of ingredients they had to work with, was exquisite; the simple stew was plain but satisfying, and Kevin hadn't eaten something of such quality in weeks.

"It is good, yes?"

Rolf seemed self-assured, boasting. Kevin managed a nod as he slurped down the meal.

"The bread won't hurt your teeth if you put it in the other stuff too!"

Ed took a slice of bread that cracked and crunched as he did so, and handed it to Kevin, smiling warmly at the smaller boy.

"Yes, good thinking Ed."

Rolf seemed proud of Ed, as Kevin concluded he often was. Kevin swallowed the mouthful he'd just taken, thanking Ed, and dropped the bread into his bowl, watching it absorb the salty broth. By the time he looked up, the gentle giant was finished, and off to delegate portions for the rest of the crew.

"He is a kind one… He once hid a chicken in his room, you know, so he wouldn't have to kill it. I told him we had to and his eyes nearly flooded Rolf's kitchen. The boy is no pirate."

Rolf didn't look up, and spoke so quietly Kevin could barely make out the words. He doubted Ed could hear them.

"He is a weak in the upper story, but warm like a fresh hide, yes?"

Rolf's clear fondness for Ed made the mood light, and when his face indicated a realization that he had perhaps said too much, Kevin couldn't help but chuckle under his breath. Suddenly, Rolf stood, his plate empty.

"NAZZ!"

Rolf bellowed with all his might, startling Kevin, but Ed didn't seem bothered in the slightest. The sound echoed through the halls, and before long the scrambling of light feet could he heard. Rushing down the hall came a large cart, and sure enough, the familiar blonde pushing it the best her petite self could.

"Coming Rolf!"

Just as quickly as she arrived, Ed filled her cart with bowls full of stew, barely making time for her to smile at Kevin before she was ushered along. One peek out the door, however, and Kevin saw how much the poor girl was struggling.

"Rolf, I think I'm going to see if Nazz needs some help with that."

"It would do much good for your noodle arms"

Only a little hurt, the scrawny boy jogged to Nazz, pushing as she maneuvered the vehicle around, until they came to a dining area, where a hoard awaited them, silent.

"Hey look! The babe brought our grub today!"

One man called out as another hooted at Nazz, the girl doing her best not to cower at them.

"Who's the redhead?"

Another man asked loudly enough to be heard and was responded to with mumbles and whispers. Suddenly, a figure at the head of the long wooden table stood, and the rest of the room fell silent once more.

"Well done, pumpkin, it seems you've adjusted well to being of service here."

"I helped Nazz for her sake, not for anyone else's. Especially not yours."

Kevin needed to stand up for himself, but immediately regretted it.

"Stockholm syndrome is it?"

Eddward began to approach the redhead, all eyes on the boy growing paler with each step the shark took, but unmoving none the less. After sizing him up and smirking, Edd lifted Kevin with ease by his throat before he got a chance to answer the taunt.

"You'll learn, pumpkin."

Kicking at air and dizzier by the second, Kevin gasped frantically. He looked around the room to see Nazz's wide eyes, filled with worry and her fist clenched in restraint, knowing there was nothing she could do to help without making things worse. The whole while the shark just watched Kevin's face, like a rabbit caught in a trap, he thought.

Finally, he dropped the boy to the floor and the room was filled with relieved crewman, some laughing, a few looking at the boy with concern, and others glancing impatiently at their dinner. Humiliated, Kevin got up, gasping and hacking.

"That is your place, I suggest you learn it. Nazz will show you to your temporary quarters where I will later pay you a visit for what is bound to be an interesting chat."

Putting one of his arms around her shoulder, Nazz supported Kevin on their way out, and took him to a lower level, to a secluded area. A hall, like all the others, lined with doors, but very short. This couldn't house all of the crew, Kevin thought, maybe only a few members. They walked down to the very end of it when Nazz opened a door, breaking the solemn silence they'd maintained since they left the dining room.

"This is your room, right down the Captains personal hallway. He spends a good lot of his time here, but he probably won't bother you much if you're quiet and do what you're supposed to."

Kevin said nothing. He slowly walked into the room, hand held tenderly over his throat.

"Look, dude, I wanted to help you, and I would have, I just-"

"Don't worry Nazz, there's nothing you could have done. This isn't the first time I've been knocked around some."

Kevin managed a sad smile and sent the girl on her way.

The room wasn't as small as Kevin would expect it to be, not for a prisoner, anyway. The bed was a single, well made with white sheets. There was a desk with a writing quill and ink in the left most back corner, and like the bed it faced the door. A modest night stand was positioned next to the bed, with a lamp and what Kevin found to be a few empty drawers upon snooping. There was a mirror, too, on one wall adjacent to the desk, and Kevin saw himself for the first time in a while.

No facial hair had grown to a noticeable length, but he looked a complete mess. He was surprised Rolf had even let him into his kitchen, really. Orange hair tussled beyond any style, ghostly skin that made his freckles pop out even more, frail arms and a thinness to his face he hadn't seen since one winter as a child, where his father and himself were snowed in right after running out of food for several days.

It was night and Kevin was alone, the empty room allowing intrusive emotions to make themselves known. Kevin felt mortified, pathetic, and above all hopeless again. He'd almost fooled himself into believing he had a place on the pecking order here, be it at the very bottom.

No guards were here keeping watch, and most of the crew was eating, maybe, he thought, he could make a break for it if he was sneaky enough and… and nothing. Jump into the open ocean and drown? His neck feeling bruised, he laid down, allowing himself to feel, to cry, to fall apart.

This emotional release was the last straw. Kevin soon found his eyes heavy and his breathing deep, and before long he'd dozed off.


End file.
